After a recent motherboard catastrophe, I am trying to fine tune my
back-up system.

I use a reliable back-up utility to keep regular nightly backups of
all of my files, which are on my D: partition, - easy enough. They are
backed up to a second hard drive and accross my local network to
another computer in the same building, so I am fairly secure here.

However, I have a small C: partition where WinXp and most of my apps
are installed, and I really do not keep any back up of that.
If I were to lose this drive/partition, I would have to reinstall
windows, and all of the applications... I would not lose files as I
keep those intentionally separated and backed up, but I would lose a
lot of custom settings, which could be a serious PITA to recreate, if I
even could remember them all.

SO>> my question << what is the best way to keep a solid backup of the
boot partition?

Ideally, if this hd were to fail, I would want a solution that would
allow me to simply swap drives, or perhaps transfer some files as
needed from a back up to a new hd, and reboot the machine as if nothing
had happened.

AFAIK I cannot just keep a 1-for-1 backup of this partition on another
hd, because of the limitations in copying active system files.

Your suggestions on the proper and most reliable method for this are
greatly appreciated!

Since you have a second (albeit virtual) drive you can use the ASR Wizard if
you have XP Pro.
--
Cari (MS-MVP)
Printing & Imaging



"Michael 23" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> After a recent motherboard catastrophe, I am trying to fine tune my
> back-up system.
>
> I use a reliable back-up utility to keep regular nightly backups of
> all of my files, which are on my D: partition, - easy enough. They are
> backed up to a second hard drive and accross my local network to
> another computer in the same building, so I am fairly secure here.
>
> However, I have a small C: partition where WinXp and most of my apps
> are installed, and I really do not keep any back up of that.
> If I were to lose this drive/partition, I would have to reinstall
> windows, and all of the applications... I would not lose files as I
> keep those intentionally separated and backed up, but I would lose a
> lot of custom settings, which could be a serious PITA to recreate, if I
> even could remember them all.
>
> SO>> my question << what is the best way to keep a solid backup of the
> boot partition?
>
> Ideally, if this hd were to fail, I would want a solution that would
> allow me to simply swap drives, or perhaps transfer some files as
> needed from a back up to a new hd, and reboot the machine as if nothing
> had happened.
>
> AFAIK I cannot just keep a 1-for-1 backup of this partition on another
> hd, because of the limitations in copying active system files.
>
> Your suggestions on the proper and most reliable method for this are
> greatly appreciated!
>

If you're asking for the "best way" you're asking for an opinion. Here's
mine: Imaging software.

I use Norton Ghost 9.0, but there are other imaging applications, notably
True Image and BootIt NG, that are equally capable. With Ghost I just 'set
it and forget it' and the program automatically images my system partition
on my schedule in a matter of minutes and does so in the background so I can
keep on working.

--
Ted Zieglar
"You can do it if you try."

"Michael 23" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> After a recent motherboard catastrophe, I am trying to fine tune my
> back-up system.
>
> I use a reliable back-up utility to keep regular nightly backups of
> all of my files, which are on my D: partition, - easy enough. They are
> backed up to a second hard drive and accross my local network to
> another computer in the same building, so I am fairly secure here.
>
> However, I have a small C: partition where WinXp and most of my apps
> are installed, and I really do not keep any back up of that.
> If I were to lose this drive/partition, I would have to reinstall
> windows, and all of the applications... I would not lose files as I
> keep those intentionally separated and backed up, but I would lose a
> lot of custom settings, which could be a serious PITA to recreate, if I
> even could remember them all.
>
> SO>> my question << what is the best way to keep a solid backup of the
> boot partition?
>
> Ideally, if this hd were to fail, I would want a solution that would
> allow me to simply swap drives, or perhaps transfer some files as
> needed from a back up to a new hd, and reboot the machine as if nothing
> had happened.
>
> AFAIK I cannot just keep a 1-for-1 backup of this partition on another
> hd, because of the limitations in copying active system files.
>
> Your suggestions on the proper and most reliable method for this are
> greatly appreciated!
>

I have ghost 2003, but it does not appear to have a scheduling
function... is this something that was built in to later versions?

I had looked at ghost, but decided against it when I realized I would
have to manually create the backups... but maybe not, eh?

Ghost 9.0 is the successor to Ghost 2003.
http://www.symantec.com/sabu/ghost/ghost_personal/.

--
Ted Zieglar
"You can do it if you try."

"Michael 23" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> I have ghost 2003, but it does not appear to have a scheduling
> function... is this something that was built in to later versions?
>
> I had looked at ghost, but decided against it when I realized I would
> have to manually create the backups... but maybe not, eh?
>

Modern backup software can backup system and program files that are in use.

I use Acronis True Image version 8 for this exact purpose. GHOST 9 should
also work.

"Michael 23" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> After a recent motherboard catastrophe, I am trying to fine tune my
> back-up system.
>
> I use a reliable back-up utility to keep regular nightly backups of
> all of my files, which are on my D: partition, - easy enough. They are
> backed up to a second hard drive and accross my local network to
> another computer in the same building, so I am fairly secure here.
>
> However, I have a small C: partition where WinXp and most of my apps
> are installed, and I really do not keep any back up of that.
> If I were to lose this drive/partition, I would have to reinstall
> windows, and all of the applications... I would not lose files as I
> keep those intentionally separated and backed up, but I would lose a
> lot of custom settings, which could be a serious PITA to recreate, if I
> even could remember them all.
>
> SO>> my question << what is the best way to keep a solid backup of the
> boot partition?
>
> Ideally, if this hd were to fail, I would want a solution that would
> allow me to simply swap drives, or perhaps transfer some files as
> needed from a back up to a new hd, and reboot the machine as if nothing
> had happened.
>
> AFAIK I cannot just keep a 1-for-1 backup of this partition on another
> hd, because of the limitations in copying active system files.
>
> Your suggestions on the proper and most reliable method for this are
> greatly appreciated!
>

Hi,

AND Ghost 2003 cannot bacup a C: drive with the windows system on it,
while it's active, Ghost 9 can.

(If you can get it to work - I've bought a copy og Norton Ghost 9, it
installs fine, but when I try to run it, it gives an error with .NET,
and support don't seem to be able to help me:-( )

Regards Leif.

On Wed, 29 Jun 2005 16:01:34 -0400, "Ted Zieglar" <(E-Mail Removed)>
wrote:

>Ghost 9.0 is the successor to Ghost 2003.
>http://www.symantec.com/sabu/ghost/ghost_personal/.

Thanks for the tip, Bob!

I decided to try something other than Ghost - dl'd True Image from
NewEgg for $30 and so far I am quite pleased... actually cloning my
entire HD (both partitions) to my second HD right now (I am on another
pc to access this group at the moment)

I have a few questions for you, if you are still seeing this thread -

1) The initial drive copy required a reboot, and is happening
pre-windows-loading.
However, the documentation for True Image suggests that it can run in
the background while working in WinXP... I am assuming this will be
true for future copies of my disk image?

2) You say you have your disk imaging on a regular schedule - I plan to
do the same.
Does the scheduled process require a complete erasing and re-copying of
the whole drive, or does TrueImage recognize just the changed files,
and simply update the image on the backup disk?

3) My assumption is that if my main drive bites the dust, I will be
able to open the case, swap drives and jumpers, and reboot from the
backup as if nothing had happened... is this correct?

Thanks very much for your (or anyone else's) experienced input.

I also use TrueImage ver 8
ans#1..if you look into the settings the next image will be an
"incremental"image backing up only what was changed.
You should create an Acronis Secure Zone...this makes imaging that
much easier.It basically tales a part of your 2nd HD and uses it only for
TrueImage...this partition will not show up under Explorer only under
TrueImage.You can set the size of this partition and it will either add or
overwrite depending upon you.
ans#2 With the Secure Zone updating the image is very easy.It will update
with just what has changed....incremental.

ans#3 no swapping drives.The Acronis emergency boot disk that the program
prompted you to make takes you into TrueImage from where you "restore" your
image back to its original loacation(S)So if your main drive is unusable you
will need to get another before you can restore.If XP screws up and you
cannot start your system thats where the Acronis Emergency Boot disk comes
in.The Image files can be burned to a series of DVD/CD discs if you wish to
change drives when the old main is no longer usable.The Backup is not
bootable...it needs to be restored!!

hope this helps
peterk

--
It's so much easier to suggest solutions when you don't know too much about
the problem
"Michael 23" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Thanks for the tip, Bob!
>
> I decided to try something other than Ghost - dl'd True Image from
> NewEgg for $30 and so far I am quite pleased... actually cloning my
> entire HD (both partitions) to my second HD right now (I am on another
> pc to access this group at the moment)
>
> I have a few questions for you, if you are still seeing this thread -
>
> 1) The initial drive copy required a reboot, and is happening
> pre-windows-loading.
> However, the documentation for True Image suggests that it can run in
> the background while working in WinXP... I am assuming this will be
> true for future copies of my disk image?
>
> 2) You say you have your disk imaging on a regular schedule - I plan to
> do the same.
> Does the scheduled process require a complete erasing and re-copying of
> the whole drive, or does TrueImage recognize just the changed files,
> and simply update the image on the backup disk?
>
> 3) My assumption is that if my main drive bites the dust, I will be
> able to open the case, swap drives and jumpers, and reboot from the
> backup as if nothing had happened... is this correct?
>
> Thanks very much for your (or anyone else's) experienced input.
>

Do you have .NET installed?

How about the Windows Updates for the same?

What is the "exact" error message


--
Regards,

Richard Urban

If you knew as much as you thought you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!


"Leif Nordmand Andersen" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi,
>
> AND Ghost 2003 cannot bacup a C: drive with the windows system on it,
> while it's active, Ghost 9 can.
>
> (If you can get it to work - I've bought a copy og Norton Ghost 9, it
> installs fine, but when I try to run it, it gives an error with .NET,
> and support don't seem to be able to help me:-( )
>
> Regards Leif.
>
> On Wed, 29 Jun 2005 16:01:34 -0400, "Ted Zieglar" <(E-Mail Removed)>
> wrote:
>
>>Ghost 9.0 is the successor to Ghost 2003.
>>http://www.symantec.com/sabu/ghost/ghost_personal/.
>